Yet, when Torre makes out his lineup for tonight’s ALDS Game 3 against the Angels at Yankee Stadium, don’t expect Posada to be in it. John Flaherty will catch Randy Johnson for the 18th straight game and Ruben Sierra is likely to be the DH.

“I doubt it,” Torre said of using the switch-hitting Posada as the DH. “I am not saying he won’t be the DH but I think it’s doubtful.”

Torre never really considered breaking up the Johnson/Flaherty battery because it has worked very well in the latter part of the season.

Even though Sierra has only six at-bats against the right-handed Byrd, he has three hits and hasn’t appeared in the series.

“He certainly would be a consideration,” Torre said of the switch-hitting Sierra. “He would be the first consideration. We want to get him involved because we know what he can bring to the table. The fact that Ruben has been down this road before, he would probably be the No. 1 guy we would look at.”

Torre has another option, one that would strengthen the defense. He can use Tino Martinez (3-for-9; .333) at first and DH Jason Giambi (3-for-11; .273).

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Flaherty may have the toughest job in baseball. He plays once every five days and then has to work with Johnson, not the easiest pitcher to catch. And when Flaherty, a career .255 hitter, looks at the .165 he batted this year, he grimaces.

Yet, Johnson appreciates the way Flaherty has helped him through a strange season.

“I have always admired a catcher that is less worried about what he does at the plate and more worried about what he does behind the plate,” Johnson said of Flaherty, who has been a big part of Johnson getting straightened out late in the season. “Sometimes catchers don’t get the respect. Yeah, they went 0-for-4, but they got a pitcher through a game; whether he didn’t have good stuff or whether he was hurting physically or whatever. But those are the qualities I see in Flaherty.”

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Derek Jeter reached base at least once in 21 ALDS games until he went 0-for-5 and fanned twice in Game 2.